“CNN News Central” host Boris Sanchez on Wednesday lashed out at Republican Congressman Dan Meuser of Pennsylvania during a segment about the January 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol.
Sanchez initially asked Meuser, co-chair of Trump's Pennsylvania campaign, about the riot that stormed the Capitol during the certification of the electoral votes. Sanchez interrupted Meuser toward the end of the segment when the Republican congressman tried to point out that California Sen. Kamala Harris, then Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden's running mate, promoted a bail fund that secured the release of violent criminals during the riots following the death of George Floyd. (Related: CNN reporter claims Trump supporters calling America a republic is an 'attack on democracy')
“What does this have to do with Joe Biden?” Sanchez demanded. “Let's talk about Donald Trump!”
“Chestnut Street and many other cities, including here in Washington, D.C., were destroyed by riots,” Muether responded after continuing to talk with Sanchez. “People's lives were destroyed. Kamala Harris helped pay bail to get those violent people released.”
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'Let's talk about Donald Trump!': CNN anchor slams Republicans for Jan. 6 exchange pic.twitter.com/LjW56Ae03e
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Sanchez began the show by claiming that President Trump failed to condemn the violence at the Capitol during the riot.
“It's been a really bad day here,” Meuser responded. “I'm at the Capitol right now, and it's not in-between. It's been a bad day. It should be condemned. It was four hours. I don't mean to downplay it because it's the nation's capital, but I will say this: I looked into the eyes of the people that were there. They were there to do two things: mayhem and violence, any kind of anarchy and chaos and violence, and they did that,” Meuser said. “And by the way, I don't think most of those people were even at the rally because they were carrying oxygen tanks and all kinds of other equipment. So to try to blame it on President Trump's words, I think it's totally off the mark.”
During a CNN town hall meeting in May 2023, President Trump said he would pardon most of those convicted of crimes related to the riots, saying they received harsher punishments than those who rioted after George Floyd died in police custody.
“He said he would pardon people who you said were violent, but that hurt a lot of Capitol Police officers and others, right?” Sanchez asked.
“No, no, they're not violent, they're not people that would hurt a police officer, they're people that were involved in riots,” Meuser responded.
Prosecutors sought long sentences for several people who breached the Capitol but did not attack police officers. (RELATED: Liberal lawyers and Anderson Cooper suggest they're 'afraid' Trump docs judge didn't give in to Jack Smith)
“You're saying these people deserve to be punished to the fullest extent of the law,” Sanchez said. “You're saying that the president, the former president, will pardon the same people who attacked you and your colleagues.”
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